DPP's bid to have Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria's bail cancelled fails

NAIROBI: An attempt by the Director of Public Prosecutions to have Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria's Sh2 million cash bail cancelled has been declined by the court.

Senior Principal Magistrate Enock Cherono dismissed the application Monday, saying there were no compelling reasons for the cancellation.

According to Cherono, the reason for bond is to ensure suspects attend court proceedings, and thus the application was unnecessary since the MP, who is facing criminal charges, has been attending court.

"The bond can only be cancelled if the suspect does not attend court and the prosecution did not apply for the same when he was first charged," he said.

He added: "What he posted (on Facebook) is not related to this case and that is the reason as to why I will not grant prosecution their prayers," said Cherono.

Kuria had earlier denied allegations that he authored the verse, Genesis 17:14, both on his Facebook page, as claimed by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), or in the Bible itself.

This is the verse that prompted DPP Keriako Tobiko to apply for cancellation of Kuria's Sh2 million cash bail in the criminal case.

Kuria was charged in June last year after he allegedly posted on social media what were considered provocative comments following the Gikomba Market terror attack.

He was charged with incitement, hate speech and causing ethnic contempt over Facebook messages posted on May 16.

The complaint was made to NCIC by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).

Thereafter, negotiations between the MP and LSK were held to have the case withdrawn.

The apology was published in the media on January 15 this year. The case will be heard on September 9 and 10.